Paper-cutting machine



1954 L. M. STEMPEL PAPER-CUTTINGMACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 16, 1946 INVENTOR.

ATTORNE Dec. 21, 1954 M. STEMPEL 2,697,488

PAPER-CUTTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I'FI'I LLJJ INSVENTOR 5 f 1 N. l n

Laszlo M. srempel BY QLMVM7 ATTORNEYS PAPER-CUTTING MACHINE Laszlo M. Stempel, Coraopolis, Pa.

Application April 16, 1946, Serial No. 662,508

7 Claims. (Cl. 16443) This invention relates to machines for cutting 'a traveling web of flat strip material into severed sheets, and more particularly, to paper cutting machines.

Heretofore, paper cutting machines have been of the type where the paper has been severed from the web strip by a rotary cutter and once the paper was severed it was thrown rearwardly by the cutter onto a traveling conveyor and then conveyed to a stack. In the intervening time which elapsed between the cutting and the receipt of the sheet at the stack, control of the sheet was difficult to be obtained and to assist in maintaining such control on the conveyor additional mechanism including an air blast blowing the sheet down upon the conveyor was necessary, all of which adding to the cost of the machine. The sheets when they arrived at the stack were depressed by fingers driven positively from a cam, the absolute control of the sheets being only regained when the sheets were received by the fingers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for severing strip material into sheets which is of simple construction and wherein control of the sheet is retained by virtue of the fact that the unsevered sheet will be located over the stack before it is cut.

It is another object of the invention to provide a paper cutting mechanism in which the strip material is continuously fed and in which the cutting action is effected with reciprocable blades, the same being so quick in their action that the continuous feeding of the strip material is undisturbed.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a paper cutting machine in which the cutting mechanism will be operated by the feed roller and that the driving mechanism for the cutter is such that a positive knife closing and knife returning action is had.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a quick-operated finger mechanism for moving the sheets to the top of a stack which will be operable in such a manner as to effectively separate any partially severed sheets from the knife blades.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my paper cutting and delivery machine with certain of the parts broken away to show more clearly the more critical parts of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken through that part of the driving mechanism including the Geneva gear as when it is rotated so that the operating roller is along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken across the full width of the machine, as along line 33 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof and with some of the parts omitted.

Referring now to the figures, a main frame is supported on a floor that extends upwardly to a height such as to locate the parts needing attention in a position which will be easily accessible to the operator. E xtending forwardly of the frame are a pair of spaced side pieces 11 and 12 on the forward end of which is a shaft 13 for supporting a knife carrying frame comprising two arms 14 which extend therefrom toa point adjacent a stationary knife blade 15 located at the advanced end of a table 16 over which is fed paper 17-. The knife blade 15 is supported in a bed plate 15 carried on a 2,697,488 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 machine bracket 15". The knife carrier has a blade 18 secured to it by the machine screws or bolts 19 and this blade directly cooperates with the stationary blade 15 to effect a quick shearing action upon paper 17 which is fed between the blades.

The paper 17 comes from a roll supported at some point not shown and is fed into machine at a point beneath the operating mechanism as at 17, under a tensronmg roller 21, carried on arms 22 secured to a shaft 23 on the frame 10. Extending downwardly from the shaft 23 and at an angle to the arms 22 is another arm 24 rigid on shaft 23, to which a spring or a weight may be attached to effect tensioning action upon the roller 21. From the tensioning roller 21 the paper 17 passes vertically upwardly to a roller 25 from where it passes to the supporting table 16, the direction of movement of the paper having changed from the vertical to the horizontal.

In order to keep the paper on the roller 25, a pressure feed roller 26 is provided. From the drive roller and the feed roller, the paper is projected forwardly over the table 16. The feed roller 25 is fixed to a shaft 27 which has a small gear 28 adapted to be driven by a large driving gear 29, carried on a shaft 31 and pivoted in a journal portion 32 of the frame 10.

When the paper 17 has passed beyond the stationary knife edge 15 to a predetermined point, the high speed cutting knife 18 is operated to sever the paper into the desired length of sheet. The action of the blade is so fast that little time is permitted for the sheet 17 to build up against the blades and upon the table 17.

The mechanism for effecting the operation of the knife blade will now be described. On the end of the roller shaft 27 is a large disc 33, Figs. 1 and 2, forming a part of a Geneva gear mechanism. This disc is fixed to the shaft 27 by a set screw 33a so as to be rotated by the shaft. The set screw 33a, however, is contained in an axially-extending lock portion 34, which has in it a recess 35 with a curved face 36, such as to receive any one of several projected parts 37, of a Geneva gear 38, as the Geneva gear is rotated by the disc 33. The disc 33 has adjacent the recess 35 a pin roller 39 adapted to work in equally circumferentially spaced slots 41 in the respective projected portions 37 of the Geneva gear 38. Only when the pin 39 is located in the recess is motion transmitted to the Geneva gear 38. In the meantime, when the pin 39 is not contained in a slot 41, the Geneva gear 38 must be retained against further rotation and this is effected by the lock portion 34 which is round except for the part where the recess has been provided. This rounded portion will pass in recesses 43 in the Geneva gear 38, thereby locking the Geneva gear 38 against movement throughout the major part of the rotation of the feed roller 25 and when the pin 39 is not in engagement with a recess 41. Through this Geneva gear mechanism, intermittent motion is transmitted to shaft 44 to which the Geneva gear 38 is made secure by a set screw 45, Fig. 2. Thus for every full turn of the disc 33 or feed roller 25, the Geneva gear 38 and shaft 44 are rotated only A of a turn.

Secured to the shaft 44 is a large gear 46, meshing with a pinion 47, keyed to a crank shaft 48 and journalled in side pieces 11 and 12 on the frame 10 and extending the full width of the machine, Fig. 3. The shaft 48 has the cranks 51 and 52 at opposite sides of the machine which are respectively connected by connecting rods 53 and 54 journalled to stub shafts 55, 56 fixed to the top arms 14 of the knife frame.

The knife frame has a transverse headpiece 57, secured to the arms 14, which is adjustable by adjusting screws 58 to properly align the knife 18 with the stationary knife 15. It will be apparent that the gear ratio between the feed roll plate 33 and the shaft 48 is suflicient to give a largely multiplied rotation to the shaft 48 and a very quick and more or less instantaneous action of the knife blade is effected.

The cutting time is accordingly very quick and the knife has effected its cutting and returned to its stationary position shown in Fig. 1 for a period of rest, all before the paper 17 has had any appreciable chance to build up against the knife blades. As the paper is severed into sheets 17 they are immediately laid in place upon a table 61, which is adapted to be automatically lowered as the sheets build up, all in accordance with mechanism Well known in the art. Since no gap intervenes between the advanced endof the strip and the stacked sheets 17", no opportunity is provided such'that control of the paper sheets would be lost. The sheet 'is as a matter of fact positioned over the top of the stack before it is cut.

The stacked sheets 17" are retained against sidewise displacement by guide plates 60 adjustable in bosses 68' on the side pieces 11 and 12 for different width sheets.

As the sheets are cut, occasionally a sheet may cling to the paper from which it was severed. In order to make sure that the sheet is completely severed, there is provided an arrangement including'a' row of fingers 66 spaced transversely from one another and located above the stacked sheet.

The .ends of the fingers 66 are maintained free of the transverse member 57 as theblade structure 14 is moved down to effect the cutting by the provision of laterallyspaced recesses 57. These fingers are connected at their rear ends to a shaft 67 adapted to be oscillated by mechanism {to be presently described. The fingers 66 are rotated with a quick downward movement, and the sheet is knocked downwardly from the knife blade 15 and with such force that the sheet, if having a tendency to cling due to only a partial severing will be quickly and effectively severed therefrom and torn away from the knife blade. These fingers move from the position shown in full in Fig. '1 to a position indicated with dotand-dash lines at 68. By means of these fingers, the new sheet is kept within control and is positively positioned upon the stack of sheets 17". These fingers are located at the blade to function as a cooperating part thereof and may be said to assist at times in the active severing of the sheets.

At the rear of the stack there are vertically-extending stops 71 which extend a substantial distance across the machine and against which the forward ends of the sheets abut and are retained while the stack is being formed. Extending above the fingers is a stop member 72 against which the fingers abut and are retained when in their raised position. On the shaft 67 is a depending arm 73 having a spring 74 connected to it and serving to swiftly return the fingers to the raised position and against the stop 72 when the mechanism serving to operate the fingers against the action of the spring has e d nt l o t fi e s- Also connected to the arm 73 is a link 75 connected at its rear end as indicated at 76 to the upper end of a lever 77 pivoted at 78 to end piece 11 of the frame 10. Adjacent to its "upper end of the lever 77 there is provided a roller 79 adapted to be urged against a cam 81 secured to the crank shaft 48. This cam for a big part of its rotation causes no movement of the lever 77 but for asmall fraction of its rotation, it causes by means of a lube 82 thereon, a forward movement of the lever 77 and of the arm 73, rotation of shaft 67, and a quick downward movement of the fingers 66 upon the paper.

Shaft 48 is operated from the feed roller shaft 27 through the Geneva gear 38 all in a manner as heretofore 'described and through the proper gear reduction its speed of rotation is fast. Since this same shaft is used for operating the fingers and that the cam lobe S2 is so sharp, a very quick, knock down action is effected upon the several sheets of paper. The'lobe 82 is so small that it retains the fingers '62 only a short time. Thereafter, the fingers are returned to their raised position before the blade 18 has been raised. The blade 18 thus for that instant protects the advancing end of the strip from the fingers.

In order that a straight line vertical motion will be effected to the movable blade 18 in its cutting position, the supporting structure 14 has been made to be pivoted at a point well in advance of the stationary knife blade 15, and substantially in a vertical plane in alignment with the cutting edge of said knife blade.

In order to remove some of the load of the knife structure 14 upon its operating mechanism, there is located on the pivot shaft 18 a coil spring 89, having its ends 81 and 82 disposed between a tie rod 83 and a stop member 84 respectively, provided on the and :piece 11 and the knife supporting structure 14. As the'knife 'is pulled down the energy is stored in the spring 80 which will assist in causing the knife structure '14 to be returned to its raised position in a quick and expeditious manner.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a machine wherein control of the severed sheets is never lost after the time that they have been cut and that any of such sheets which may be only partially severed will be completely severed by a device operating in sequence to the operation of the knife blade. It should also be apparent that there has been provided a simple and sturdy mechanism for effecting all of the various operations of the machine.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. 1 do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paper cutting mechanism comprising a feed roller, a pair of cooperating knife blades one of which blades reciprocates, means for operating the feed roller to deliver the paper to the knives, where it is severed, means for driving the feed roller, Geneva mechanism driven from the feed roller, a crank adapted to be driven by the Geneva mechanism and connected to the reciprocable knife blade, whereby to effect intermittent operation of the knife blade, and means located immediately adjacent the knife blade for receiving the several sheets of paper.

2. A machine for cutting a traveling web of flat strip material into severed sheets of material, which comprises feed roller mechanism for advancing the web of strip material, a reciprocating knife blade mechanism, a Geneva gear mechanism driven by the feed roller mechanism for intermittently effecting the operation of the knife blade mechanism, a severed sheet receiving mechanism adjacent the knife blade mechanism, to receive the severed sheets immediately upon becoming severe whereby the control of the sameis not lost, finger mechanism driven by the Geneva mechanism which operates the knife blades in timed relation to positively knock down the severed sheet upon its stack.

3. A machine for cutting traveling web of flat strip material into severed sheets comprising a main frame, a supporting surface upon the frame and a stationary knife blade adjacent the advanced end of the supporting surface, feed roller mechanism for advancing the strip material over the supporting surface and beyond the stationary knife blade, a sub frame carried on the main frame and extending forwardly of the stationary cutting knife, stop means on the sub-frame for receiving the measured end of the strip material and for confining severed sheet against further forward movement, a reciprocable knife blade mechanism for cooperating with the stationary knife blade for severing the strip material into sheets, said reciprocable knife blade mechanism including a pivotable structure extending forwardly well in advance of the stationary knife blade and pivoted to the forward end of the sub-frame assembly, the reciprocable blade structure being of sufiicient length as to give substantially straight line motion to the knife blade when cooperating with the stationary knife blade to sever the sheets from the strip material.

4. A mechanism for cutting a traveling web of fiat strip material into sheets such as defined in claim 3, including a lifting spring located between the sub-frame and the supporting structure for the reciprocable knife blade whereby to relieve the operating mechanism for the knife blade of added work in vertically returning the structure to its raised position.

5. A cutting machine for severing strip material into sheets comprising a magazine, means for continuously feeding a strip of material towards said magazine, a knife blade mechanism at the rear end of said magazine adapted to cut the advancing strip into sections,'w hilc the advanced end portion of said strip is directly above said magazine, whereby said advanced end portion of said strip when severed from the continuous strip will drop directly into said magazine, a series of stacking fingers in said magazine above the plane of said strip as it. is advanced through the field of action of said knife blade mechanism, said fingers extending to a region near said field of action, and means operated in timed sequence with said knife blade mechanism for reciprocating said fingers generally up and down to positively knockdown the severed sheet in said magazine.

6. A cutting machine, as described in claim 5, said r 5 finger reciprocating means being operated in timed sequence with said knife blade mechanism to effect downward and upward movement of said stacking fingers, while said knife blade mechanism is in engagement with said strip.

7. A cutting machine for severing strip material into sheets comprising a magazine, means for continuously feeding a strip of material towards said magazine, a cutting mechanism for severing the advancing strip into sheets, and means above said magazine and operated in timed sequence with said cutting mechanism for stacking said sheets in said magazine, said cutting mechanism comprising a long substantially horizontally knife carrying frame extending above said magazine and above said sheet stacking means, means pivotally supporting one end of said frame furthest away from the rear end of said magazine, a fixed knife blade near the other end of said frame adjacent to the rear end of said magazine, a movable knife blade secured to said frame near said other end adapted to cooperate with said fixed knife blade, a shaft means for driving said shaft in timed sequence with said strip feeding means, and a drive connection between said shaft and said other frame end for angularly reciprocating said frame about said frame supporting means and for moving thereby said movable blade in and out of cutting relationship with said fixed blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 83,634 Hopper et al Nov. 3, 1868 1,489,135 Langston Apr. 1, 1924 1,767,763 Johnson June 24, 1930 1,810,442 Spiess June 16, 1931 1,883,858 Spiess Oct. 18, 1932 2,011,505 Smith Aug. 13, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,570 Germany Jan. 1, 1877 594,808 France July 4, 1925 

